Park City Center

Park City Center is an enclosed shopping mall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and Harrisburg Pike. It is the largest enclosed shopping center in Lancaster County and one of the major retail destinations in the wider Pennsylvania Dutch Country region. The mall contains more than 170 stores and is described as Pennsylvania's fourth-largest shopping mall by store count or overall scale in the referenced material. The center opened in 1971 and was developed by Park City Shopping Center Corporation, a joint venture involving Nassau Shopping Center Corporation and Lancaster businessmen Melvin Hyman, Lawrence Hyman, and Lee Drunkenbrod. Although its architecture, opening period, and later association with Brookfield Properties have sometimes led to confusion with the Rouse Company, the mall was not developed by Rouse. Its distinctive plan resembles a snowflake, with eight retail corridors radiating from a central octagonal court. A large white tent-like roof over Center Court became one of the complex's defining architectural features. During its early years, Park City was promoted or referred to as the "Mall of Four Seasons." The original corridors were associated with seasonal names and led toward four principal anchor areas: JCPenney in the Winter wing, Sears in Spring, Gimbel's in Summer, and Watt & Shand in Autumn. The department-store lineup changed over time. Gimbel's became Pomeroy's and subsequently Boscov's, while Watt & Shand was later replaced by Bon-Ton. Sears eventually closed, and its former anchor was redeveloped for Round1 Bowling & Amusement. Clover occupied another anchor location before closing after a corporate acquisition; Kohl's opened in the former Clover space in 1996. Park City Center has also incorporated entertainment and media uses. In its early configuration, the complex included an ice-skating rink, a golf course, movie theaters, and other attractions. It was among the early shopping centers to operate a closed-circuit television system. Studios for Park City Communications and WLYH-TV were located on the first floor near the Winter wing. A substantial lower-level renovation in 1985 removed several of the original recreational features, including the ice rink and theaters, while adding a food court and the Clover department store. An extensive renovation carried out from approximately 2007 to 2008 updated most areas of the mall and introduced the Fountain Shoppes, a new section between JCPenney and the former Bon-Ton location. The area included a central fountain and restaurants and retailers such as Cold Stone Creamery, Banana Republic, and Starbucks. The renovation was part of the mall's effort to modernize its tenant mix and circulation while retaining its enclosed, multi-corridor layout. The property experienced further anchor changes in the late 2010s. Bon-Ton closed in April 2018 after the chain ceased operations nationwide. In 2019, the mall proposed replacing the Bon-Ton building with an open-air entrance area, restaurants, a courtyard, and a new enclosed-mall entry. Those plans were placed on hold and ultimately canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sears announced the closure of its Park City Center store in December 2018; the building was subsequently adapted for Round1 Bowling & Amusement, which opened in 2020. Raymour & Flanigan opened a two-level furniture and mattress store in the former Bon-Ton space on November 6, 2024. The current tenant mix combines department stores, specialty retail, dining, furniture, and entertainment, including Boscov's, JCPenney, Kohl's, Raymour & Flanigan, and Round1.

Park City Center opened in 1971 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as a major enclosed shopping destination serving Lancaster County and the surrounding Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Its developer was Park City Shopping Center Corporation, a joint venture of Nassau Shopping Center Corporation and local businessmen Melvin Hyman, Lawrence Hyman, and Lee Drunkenbrod. The center's design is distinctive: eight corridors extend from an octagonal central court in a snowflake-like plan, while a white tent-shaped roof covers Center Court. The mall's architecture and its later operation by Brookfield Properties have sometimes caused it to be incorrectly associated with the Rouse Company, but the referenced history identifies a different development group. The original mall was organized around four seasonal wings and was also known as the Mall of Four Seasons. The Winter corridor led to a two-story JCPenney, Spring to Sears, Summer to Gimbel's, and Autumn to Watt & Shand. These anchors reflected the department-store structure of American regional malls in the early 1970s. Gimbel's later became Pomeroy's and then Boscov's, while Watt & Shand was eventually replaced by Bon-Ton. Park City Center initially included more than conventional retail. Its early attractions included an ice-skating rink, golf course, movie theaters, and other entertainment facilities. The mall was also notable for an early closed-circuit television operation. Park City Communications and the studios of WLYH-TV were located on the first floor near the Winter wing, giving the complex a media presence unusual for a shopping center. A major lower-level renovation in 1985 removed the ice rink, golf course, movie theaters, and ETC area. The project added a food court and introduced Clover as an anchor. Clover closed in 1996 following its acquisition by May Department Stores, and Kohl's opened in the former Clover location on September 20 of that year. The mall underwent another broad modernization in 2007–2008. The approximately 18-month project updated the interior and created the Fountain Shoppes between the JCPenney and former Bon-Ton areas. The new section included a central fountain and a mix of specialty retail and food-and-beverage tenants, including Cold Stone Creamery, Banana Republic, and Starbucks. The renovation sought to refresh the center while preserving its recognizable radial layout. Anchor turnover became more pronounced in the late 2010s. Bon-Ton closed in April 2018 when the chain ceased business. Sears announced its closure in December of the same year. In 2019, plans were announced to demolish the former Bon-Ton building and replace it with an open-air entrance, restaurants, a courtyard, and a new enclosed-mall entry. These plans were put on hold and later canceled after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the project. The former Sears building was repurposed rather than left vacant. A Round1 Bowling & Amusement venue opened there in 2020, adding bowling, arcade, and entertainment uses to the center's tenant mix. The former Bon-Ton space eventually received a major new occupant when Raymour & Flanigan opened a two-floor furniture and mattress store on November 6, 2024. Park City Center remains an active regional mall with more than 170 stores and a combination of department stores, specialty retail, dining, home furnishings, and entertainment.

• 2024

  Raymour & Flanigan opens in former Bon-Ton space

  [1]Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Raymour & Flanigan opens a two-floor furniture and mattress store on November 6.

• 2020

  Round1 opens in former Sears anchor

  [1]Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The former Sears building is remodeled and reopened as a Round1 Bowling & Amusement venue.

• 2018

  Bon-Ton and Sears anchor changes

  [1]Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Bon-Ton closes in April after the chain goes out of business, and Sears announces in December that its Park City Center anchor will close.

• 2008

  Major interior renovation is completed

  [1]Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org

  An approximately 18-month modernization updates the mall and adds the Fountain Shoppes section between JCPenney and the former Bon-Ton space.

• 1996

  Kohl's opens in the former Clover space

  [1]Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org

  After Clover closes following its acquisition by May Department Stores, Kohl's opens in the former anchor location on September 20.

• 1985

  Lower-level renovation reshapes the mall

  [1]Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A major lower-level project removes the ice rink, golf course, movie theaters, and ETC area, while adding a food court and Clover anchor store.

• 1971

  Park City Center opens

  [1]Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed shopping mall opens in Lancaster as a joint venture project of Park City Shopping Center Corporation, Nassau Shopping Center Corporation, and local Lancaster businessmen.

A large regional enclosed shopping center focused on department stores, specialty retail, dining, home furnishings, and family entertainment for Lancaster County and surrounding communities.

• Retail · 1971

  Department-store retail

  Park City Center's traditional anchor offering is department-store shopping. The current or historically documented anchor lineup includes Boscov's, JCPenney, and Kohl's, with merchandise spanning apparel, footwear, beauty, household goods, seasonal products, and other general retail categories.

• Home retail · 2024

  Home furnishings and mattresses

  Raymour & Flanigan occupies both floors of the former Bon-Ton space. Its presence broadens the mall's offer beyond fashion and general merchandise into furniture, mattresses, and related home-furnishing products.

• Entertainment · 2020

  Round1 Bowling & Amusement

  Round1 Bowling & Amusement uses the former Sears anchor building for a large entertainment venue. The concept adds bowling, arcade activities, and family-oriented amusement to the mall's retail and dining mix.

• Specialty retail and dining · 2008

  Fountain Shoppes

  Added during the 2007–2008 renovation, the Fountain Shoppes is an internal mall section between JCPenney and the former Bon-Ton area. It was designed around a central fountain and has included specialty retailers and food-and-beverage tenants such as Cold Stone Creamery, Banana Republic, and Starbucks.

• 2019

  Plan redevelopment of the former Bon-Ton anchorStrategy

  Background

  Bon-Ton had closed in 2018 after the chain went out of business, leaving a major anchor building vacant.

  Action taken

  The mall proposed demolishing the building and developing an open-air entryway with two freestanding restaurants, a courtyard, and a new enclosed-mall entrance.

  Aftermath

  The proposal was placed on hold and ultimately canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic; the space later became the site of a Raymour & Flanigan store.

  Source

• 2019

  Convert the former Sears building for Round1Generation change

  Background

  Sears announced the closure of its Park City Center anchor in December 2018.

  Action taken

  The former Sears building was selected for remodeling as a Round1 Bowling & Amusement venue.

  Aftermath

  Round1 opened in 2020, replacing a traditional department-store anchor with a large entertainment use.

  Source

• 2008

  Modernize the mall and add the Fountain ShoppesStrategy

  Background

  The aging enclosed center required a broad interior update while retaining its distinctive snowflake-shaped circulation plan.

  Action taken

  An approximately 18-month renovation updated the mall and created the Fountain Shoppes, a new section with a central fountain and specialty retail and dining tenants.

  Aftermath

  The work refreshed most interior areas and expanded the mix beyond traditional department-store anchors.

  Source

• 1985

  Replace early entertainment facilities with food-court retail spaceStrategy

  Background

  The lower level contained several original entertainment features, including an ice rink, golf course, movie theaters, and the ETC area.

  Action taken

  The renovation removed those features and added a food court and the Clover department store.

  Aftermath

  The project shifted part of the mall's offer from destination entertainment toward food service and conventional anchor retail.

  Source

1. 1Park City Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Park City Center official websiteparkcitycenter.com